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There's no shortage of cheap motorbike kit to be found on the internet - but it can be more difficult to know who and what to trust. Every week in MCN's Bargain Hunter we bring you the best deals we can find online from reputable retailers selling trustworthy kit that won't let you down or break the bank.

When it comes to top tech kit, Bluetooth intercoms and dedicated sat navs are high on the list. This week we’ve highlighted some of the best offers on devices to help you stay in touch and get you to where you’re going, as well as a couple of battery optimisers to ensure your bike’s ready to roll when you are.

## Last week's bargains: {#h-last-week-s-bargains}

Keeping cool in summer is as crucial to concentration as warmth in winter, so this week we’ve scoured the net to find the best deals on kit designed to stop you getting hot and bothered when the mercury soars.

The Rev'It Restless is a AA-rated retro-inspired, [leather motorcycle jacket](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/best-leather-motorcycling-jackets/) that the brand says is inspired by the West Coast moto culture of the 1940s in America.

[Retro jacket](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/best-retro-leather-jackets/) touches include reinforced shoulder and upper arm stitching, the snap-fastened collar and zip-up chest pocket. The snap fastener sleeves are also reminiscent of the bike kit of yesteryear.

It’s got a sporty-ish cut for a retro jacket but it’s still comfy and long enough to wear with jeans without half your back showing. You also get a removable thermal liner for chillier rides and waist adjusters to keep out the drafts.

The Restless is a perfect fit for a [modern retro](https://www.motorcyclenews.com/advice/best/retro-motorbikes/) or a genuine classic but it doesn’t look out of place on any bike. It’s perfect for a sunny ride to the pub, paired with [riding jeans](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/best-motorcycle-jeans/) and a pair of urban boots.

## Is the Rev'It Restless comfortable? {#h-is-the-rev-it-restless-comfortable}

The Rev’It Restless is built from plush, soft leather and is instantly comfortable and supple without needing to be broken in. The collar and cuffs are particularly soft, which is great as they come into contact with your skin.

The thermal liner means you can wear the Restless in colder temperatures but, even with it removed, the jacket starts to feel a little warm when temperatures creep about 30°C, probably due to the lack of perforation and the wind-blocking flaps of leather on the cuffs and main zip.

A retro leather jacket is never going to be the most utilitarian option but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to help the practicality. There’s a short connector zip so you can use a belt loop to link it with your jeans.

There are two internal pockets and three external so there’s plenty of room for your bits and pieces, too. All the zips are chunky and easy to use and the cuff zips make it easy to pair with any gloves.

The thermal liner also extends the temperature range you can wear the jacket in although there’s no waterproofing at all so you can’t really wear it if there’s rain on the cards.

This colour is called blue but due to the way it is distressed, it’s actually got a turquoise/green quality that is really quirky and distinctive. I think it looks great and despite the retro styling, I wear it on any bike.

The distressed finish means that any scratches or wear will add to the look and it will continue to evolve over the years if looked after.

The Rev’It Restless feels sturdy and well-made and all the zips and fasteners are really solid and firm. After the first 1500 miles you can’t really tell it’s been worn (apart from the bug splats).

I was surprised how light the jacket was for a retro leather garment but it doesn’t mean it feels any less safe and secure.

## Does the Rev'It Restless offer good protection?

The Restless carries a AA [CE rating](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/ce-ratings-explained/) overall with CE level 1 armour at the shoulders, elbows and back (I upgraded to the Seesoft level 2 back protector, which costs an extra £39.99).

AA ratings are pretty standard for retro style leather jackets although [UK firm Goldtop](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/goldtop-bobber-leather-jacket-review/) manage AAA ratings for many of their garments.

At £419.99, the Rev’It Restless isn’t the cheapest jacket on the market but it is a well-made and stylish piece of kit. It’s slightly cheaper than the similarly styled Goldtop ’76 Café Racer but that carries a higher AAA CE rating.

The [Richa Daytona 2](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/richa-daytona-2-jacket-review/) is £80 cheaper, and that carries the same AA safety rating as the Rev’It and a similar spec level and styling.

And it may be slightly more basic in the styling department, but the Oxford Walton costs a whole £180 less than the Rev’It.

The Rev’It Restless is a great-looking retro-inspired jacket with a high enough safety rating to wear for longer rides but enough style for the pub.

The thermal lining means you can extend its use to dry autumn or spring days and it’s comfortable in hot weather up to around 30°C.

If push came to shove, I’d probably go for a cheaper option with my own money, or spend slightly more to get a AAA rating.

Leather [motorcycle jackets](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/best-motorcycle-jackets/) that look good on all types of bike are, oddly, relatively hard to find. Sporty is easy, and so is out-and-out retro, but finding a timeless and well-spec’d jacket that I’d feel as at home with on my SP-2 or 996 as I do riding the DesertX or my VFR800F is a little harder.

After much hunting around online, I eventually stumbled across Richa’s Daytona 2 [leather jacket](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/best-leather-motorcycling-jackets/). Not only does it look suitably well detailed and classy, but it also doesn’t shout ‘look at me!’, feel overtly retro, modern, sporty or any other niche you care to mention.

## Is the Richa Daytona 2 comfortable? {#h-is-the-richa-daytona-2-comfortable}

Slipping into the enveloping buffalo hide Daytona 2 for the first time, I was immediately impressed with how supple and forgiving it felt. There was none of that new-jacket bedding-in period shenanigans, no forced stretches or niggly areas of cardboard-like rigidity to break in.

I’m a lumpy collection of body parts, but there’s also not a single area of fit that jars. The neoprene lined collar doesn’t dig in, the sleeves are the right length, it sits right at the hips and has enough malleability to cope with my middle-aged spread while still allowing me to breathe.

Available in sizes 36 to 54, it caters for a wide range of human forms. I suffer badly from cake retention, and wear the 52. I’d say the fit is exactly to size, and well-formed for my ill-formed shape.

There’s also waist adjustment available via tabs which secure to poppers, and the cuffs are zip-closure, giving a degree of flexibility for coping with various glove options. As well as the zip at the cuff, there’s also a poppered tab that gives further adjustment options.

For chilly days, there’s a zip-in quilted liner which adds a little bit of bulk, and a little bit of warmth, too. It’s not going to allow you forge Scott-like into the icy wastelands of the Arctic, but it takes the chill off on cold Spring mornings and evenings, and takes no time at all to add/remove at will.

The jacket itself boasts a lovely tartan liner and while I’ve not ridden in anything about 21°C yet, it’s definitely comfy as low as 10°C without the liner fitted. There are four external pockets, all zipped and all big enough to swallow and iPhone8 or a wallet or keys etc, while there’s also three internal pockets capable of the same.

I can’t tell you if you should like the looks, but I love it. Simple, timeless, chameleon-like in its multi-bike suitability – it’s an instant classic in my eyes. If you like the looks, but want something that feels more overtly like a [retro jacket](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/best-retro-leather-jackets/), go for the Brown option instead.

After a few thousand miles, the only clues to it not being brand-new are the flies which have sacrificed themselves to it. You wouldn’t expect any wear and tear yet, and there’s none to report – while I can say that all the zips and pockets are getting regular use and none have stuck or failed – which often happens fast if it’s going to.

The leather looks and feels beautiful, it cleans up well, and there are no areas where it looks like the factory skimped on time, effort or care.

## Does the Richa Daytona 2 offer good protection?

Finding a timeless design and decent protection is actually surprisingly, and disappointingly, difficult. I found a mass of jackets that looked great, but which were all only A rated for safety. Great if you want to walk to the pub, or hop across town on moped, but I wouldn’t want to risk much more than that.

The Daytona 2 meets the more acceptable AA rating, which the bare minimum I’d recommend for normal road riding. AAA would be even better, but there are very few leather jackets offering that.

Armour comes from highly respected gurus of comfortable high-quality inserts, D3O, and you get elbow, shoulder and back protection as standard. There’s also a short zip to give you connectivity to your trousers, if you wish.

I usually wear an airbag gilet over the top to give me a bit extra protection when I’m tanking around the countryside, but the level of protection on offer means I’m also perfectly at ease wearing it standalone.

The thinner members of the biking population can get the Daytona 2 for £339.99, those of a more rounded disposition (size 52 and 54) will have to stump up a little more (£373.99) to allow for the extra buffalo and cotton that was sacrificed in producing your jacket. But even at the higher price, the Daytona 2 represents excellent value for money amongst its peers and competitors.

There’s really nothing I can suggest to improve the Daytona 2 – beyond getting it up to the AAA [CE rating](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/ce-ratings-explained/) to really deliver ultimate peace of mind. You’re getting a quality looking, quality feeling leather jacket that’s well lined, well spec’d, thoughtfully designed and well put together – with a decent AA CE safety rating – and all for a price that is entirely fair. It feels like it’ll last a decade, and I can’t imagine I’d be any less keen to wear it if it does.

The Shad SW45 is a little bit like a rollbag that’s been transformed into a highly effective waterproof [motorbike rucksack](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/accessories/luggage/best-motorcycle-rucksacks/) with a few adaptations.

The main body of the rucksack is a cavernous and waterproof space, just like a [motorcycle rollbag](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/accessories/luggage/motorcycle-rollbags/), but you get the added convenience of shoulder straps and two externally accessible pockets.

On top of that, the bag comes with everything you need to fix it to the back of your bike should you wish and there’s a novel flap that can be used to carry your jacket off the bike.

## Is the Shad SW45 rucksack comfortable? {#h-is-the-shad-sw45-rucksack-comfortable}

The Shad SW45 has incredibly plush shoulder straps with a link strap across the chest that allows you to relieve a little shoulder pressure.

It’s incredibly comfortable to wear under normal circumstances, but the lack of a waist strap makes it feel heavy on your shoulders if you’ve got a heavy load in it. The good thing is that, if that’s the case, you can use it in the [tailpack](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/accessories/luggage/best-motorcycle-tailpacks/) mode instead.

If you’re used to a rucksack with a waist strap (as I am), the SW45 feels a little insecure on your back initially but you soon get used to the feeling.

The size of the bag also means that it acts a bit like a sail and a gust of wind at motorway speed can catch you off guard. This isn’t so bad as to be dangerous but, again, takes a little getting used to.

I really love the ‘stuff it and go’ practicality of the SW45, it’s got IPX5 100% waterproofing you can really trust and I much prefer that to needing an external cover like on some luggage.

40 litres is an absolutely monstrous payload, too, and if you need more than that for a trip you really ought to be looking at luggage that straps to your bike, anyway. Because there’s plenty of externally accessible pockets, you don’t have to worry about losing the stuff you need most often in the bottom of the main space.

I’ve not seen another rucksack with a flap to hold things in place on the outside and it’s a great addition if you’re walking around on a hot day. When the bag is in tailpack mode, the flap can secure extra luggage, such as a [tent](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/accessories/luggage/motorcycling-tents/), too.

## Does the Shad SW45 rucksack look good?

I think the Shad SW45 looks great, it’s got a utilitarian chic that reminds me of some military-style luggage on the market. As mentioned above, the bag can be a little shapeless when it doesn’t have much in it, but it’s not a problem.

At £141.99 the Shad represents excellent value for money. A Kriega R35 has 5L less capacity and isn’t waterproof but it costs £219.

A 39L Alpinestars Rover Overland costs £199.99 and neither of these products have the dual purpose adaptability of the Shad.

At the other end of the market entirely, a 35L QBag Backpack 9 costs just £22.99 and if you’re just looking for a cheap solution for very occasional use on sunny days, that would be friendlier on your bank balance.

I’m very impressed with the Shad SW45 rucksack. I think it’s very reasonably priced for the level of quality and practicality you get and the waterproofing is exceptional.

I never knew I wanted the flap across the back of the rucksack but I’m a big fan of it and the dual-practicality of having a rucksack that doubles up as a tailpack is very handy, too.

The only change I would consider making to the design is the addition of a waist strap for extra support and security and to lift the weight off your shoulders a little, too.

Staying safe on your bike doesn’t always mean getting trussed up in a leather suit and spending thousands of pounds. In fact, there is a huge amount of entry to mid-level riding kit out there that’s still perfectly safe and and won’t break the bank.

Here is a collection of perfect starter kit in three different styles, cool and urban casual kit for under £500, a touring or all weather option for under £600 and finally a £1500 outfit that gives the best protection for your buck in 2023.

## Best casual riding kit for new riders {#h-best-casual-riding-kit-for-new-riders}

Casual riding kit can be a perfect option for nipping to work or college as you won’t always need to get changed when you arrive. Modern riding jeans and urban riding boots look increasingly like normal jeans and boots but with the added benefit of CE ratings.

This outfit is an example of what you could choose and comes in at less than £500 for the whole lot from Sportsbike Shop, too!

## Touring or all-weather riding kit for new riders

Not all riders wheel their bikes out on sunny days. Whether you’re a year-round commuter, an intrepid bike tourer or a Deliveroo rider, kit that keeps you warm and dry is an absolute must.

This set will do the trick for less than £600 all in, which is incredible when you consider that top-end textile jackets can run to £1500 on their own.

Being a new rider doesn’t always mean life at 15bhp. If you’re over 24 and you’ve taken a full licence, or even if you’re planning some trackdays on your A2 legal sportsbike, you’ll want to consider some proper leathers.

This outfit comes in at under £1200 (or under £900 if you opt to forgo the airbag vest) but will keep you safe on any Sunday blast or track session.

There’s plenty of tempting offers online for riding kit but just remember that if there’s no mention of [CE ratings](https://products.motorcyclenews.com/clothing/clothing/ce-ratings-explained/) then steer clear.

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